Jersey Blue Spirit

About the Book

An English Army Captain, defending Holland in the 16th Century against Spanish religious zealots was killed, leaving a son born of a Dutch mother. The boy was accepted in England and raised by paternal uncles and aunts. When grown he migrated to America sponsored by them. In New Hampshire his son led a struggle against Puritan persecution and finally found democracy with others in establishing Piscataway New Jersey in 1664. There the first American militia was born in 1673. The spirit of those Jersey Blues became part of America. Oppressed and freedom loving people value this militant creed for all people. Maintaining fairness has become American democratic chivalry.

This book relates family duty over centuries of intervening on the side of right. It happened in their response to history. Family looking out for family became the base of democracy.

With this spirit they became missionaries, lawyers, doctors, judges, scientists, entrepreneurs, warriors, farmers, technicians, social workers, salesmen, civil workers, politicians, and just plain good citizens. 17th century Piscataway names are:

Langstaff, Smalley, Bonham, Dunham, Sutton, Manning , Walker, Greenland, Runyon, Higgins, Slater, Hendricks, Doty, Longfield, Hull, Inians, Pyatt, Blackford, Antill, Fitzrandolph, Drake, Dunn, Martin, Oliver, Smalley, Stelle, Davis,Reboot, Comptom, Boutcher, VanHorne, Trotter, Vail, Faurot, Wooden, Shotwell

About the Author

A native, the author knows well the geography of New Jersey. He writes about his family and their connection to history from twenty years of random research. He has edited two books by 19th century family members. He is a veteran, a retired executive, an entrepreneur, and has four children and four grandchildren.